HS FOOTBALL: Rebs moving forward after Watkins' departure

By Len Hayward | lhayward@mrt.com

Published 12:44 pm, Sunday, March 30, 2014

Photo: JAMES DURBIN

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Lee football head coach James Morton reacts from the sidelines as his players come off the field after a turnover against Permian on Friday at Grande Communications Stadium. James Durbin/Reporter-Telegram

Lee football head coach James Morton reacts from the sidelines as his players come off the field after a turnover against Permian on Friday at Grande Communications Stadium. James Durbin/Reporter-Telegram

Photo: JAMES DURBIN

HS FOOTBALL: Rebs moving forward after Watkins' departure

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Lee head football coach James Morton knew early on that Cliff Watkins was head coaching material. But what he didn’t know was when Watkins might get that head coaching opportunity.

On Friday, Watkins got that opportunity when he was named the new head coach at Class 3A Eastland. Now, Morton will have to find a replacement for the coach that helped the Rebels rewrite the school’s passing record book and earn a share of its first district championship since the 2000 season.

“It’s extremely hard to get a head coaching job, but I am surprised that he got it now,” said Morton. “I knew he was going to be a head coach in a couple of years, but I didn’t know If we could hold him for a couple of years or not.”

Watkins, who came to Lee after serving as the receivers coach at Stephenville, brought to Lee his wide open spread system that relied on the passing game to move the football. When the season ended, Lee not only had its best record in more than half decade, but senior quarterback Caden Coots set nearly every passing record at Lee.

Morton is a native of Eastland and said he does have some connections there, but said Watkins, who is from Breckenridge, was able to sell himself.

“They are familiar with me and familiar with what we do,” Morton said. “I’ve got a really good friend on the school board and I know the superintendent. But in the end, he’s got to go down there and sell himself.”

Morton said even though Watkins has left, the Rebels won’t be changing their offensive style even when a new coordinator comes in.

“We are going to stay within the same schemes with what we are doing,” Morton said. “We are not going to have our kids learn a new system.”

Morton said who will call the plays could change, as Watkins handled those duties last season. But he said the primary goal is to find the right fit for the staff, while also trying to bring in someone with Midland’s high cost of living.

But he did say that Lee’s reputation as a program has already garnered some interest from coaches across the state.

“I’m real up front when I talk to people about that,” Morton said. “I’ve talked to people from all over the state and you’ve got immediate name recognition, and they think it’s a top-notch program. That appeals to them initially, but you always want to say here’s the deal you are going to have to fight, you’ve got traffic, you’ve got housing.”

Morton said the goal is to have a new offensive coordinator named or in place by the time spring practice starts on April 29.

SCHEDULES SET

FOR LEE AND MHS

The 2014 schedules for Lee and Midland High were finalized in the last week, and both squads will have games against two of the state’s more successful programs. Lee will face off with Southlake Carroll at Grande Communications Stadium on Sept. 12, which is the Rebels’ homecoming. Midland High, meanwhile, will take on San Antonio-area power Smithson Valley on Aug. 29 during the ASCO Midland Football Madness.

Lee will open its season on Aug. 28 at 4:30 p.m. against Keller to not only start the ASCO Midland Football Madness but also be the first Class 6A team in Texas that week.